Chapter 443: 555

"Hmm?"

At the center of the track, McQueen's eyes shifted as she vaguely sensed several new presences by the sidelines.

She instinctively turned her head.

Beyond the training ground's fence, Suave was waving vigorously in her direction.

Even from such a distance, the delighted expression on Suave's face was unmistakable.

She's here again...

McQueen complained inwardly, though the corners of her lips curved slightly upward. She did not stop running.

Her training program was not yet complete.

Boom!

The purple-haired girl transformed into a raging gale once more and roared down the track.

Outside the fence, Dancing Brave watched the rapidly moving figure and quietly praised her.

"She really is meticulous about everything."

"Right? Right?"

Suave responded immediately, her voice filled with pride.

"Our McQueen is incredible!"

Dancing Brave stared at her in confusion.

"...You haven't even joined Chasing Light yet, and she's already 'our McQueen'?"

"It's only a matter of time!"

Suave planted her hands on her hips with complete confidence.

Beside them, Mejiro Ardan covered her mouth and giggled. Sakura Chiyono O applauded from behind.

"Good luck, Suave!"

Kuroha ignored their antics and led everyone beneath the shade of the trees.

Byerley Turk stepped away from the edge of the track with her notebook in hand and greeted the group with a slight nod.

"Byerley-sama, Godolphin-sama."

"Good afternoon, Goddess-sama."

Everyone greeted the two goddesses.

"Mm."

Byerley nodded.

"Good afternoon, everyone."

Godolphin smiled gently with narrowed eyes. When she noticed Suave, she tilted her head in confusion.

"Oh? Has Suave come to play with Kuro-kun again?"

"Uh... Y-Yes, Godolphin-sama."

Suave's voice was noticeably quieter than before.

"You don't need to be so nervous."

The blue goddess tilted her head.

"It isn't as though I'm going to eat you."

"..."

After awkwardly exchanging a few words with her goddess, Suave hurriedly laughed it off and fled toward the track to watch McQueen run.

Within her field of vision, the purple figure suddenly began exerting her strength.

McQueen's stride lengthened dramatically, and her body blurred. She resembled a spear that had just been hurled, surging forward with enough momentum to pierce through everything in her path.

Boom!

The sound of her blistering speed remained clearly audible from several hundred meters away.

She's strong...

McQueen was still considerably stronger than Suave.

However...

Suave narrowed her eyes, stroked her chin, and allowed a faintly disdainful smile to form on her lips.

"As I thought, her improvement during the Japan Cup came from her home-field advantage."

She paused, her voice taking on a complicated undertone.

"McQueen's strength hasn't improved much at all since then."

Suave did not know whether she should feel relieved or disappointed.

She was relieved because if McQueen's improvement remained limited, Suave's chances of victory next year would increase.

However, she was also disappointed because...

In truth, Suave's own condition was not much different from McQueen's.

No matter how hard she trained or how much effort she invested, her improvements were almost imperceptible.

"That is perfectly normal."

Before anyone else could speak, Byerley calmly explained.

"Every Umamusume's body possesses a limit. Stable and correct training will accelerate the rate at which you approach that limit, but it is extremely difficult to cross the threshold itself."

"That is the difference created by natural talent."

Suave had not expected Byerley to answer her directly. She froze momentarily before responding in a subdued voice.

"Y-Yes, Byerley-sama."

Compared with the blue goddess, who appeared gentle but was secretly mischievous, Byerley's naturally imposing presence made Suave feel even greater pressure.

"..."

Seeing Suave's nervous expression, Byerley seemed to consider adopting a gentler approach.

However, aside from a slight change in her expression, her face remained stern.

"Your natural gifts are actually somewhat superior to McQueen's."

"Your previous training methods simply failed to draw out your full potential."

"If you continue working hard, then next year... Hmm. You may still possess a slight chance of defeating McQueen."

In the end, Byerley offered Suave a small measure of encouragement.

They were all her "children," after all. She could not favor one over another.

Suave remained stunned for two seconds before shouting excitedly.

"Yes! I'll keep working harder and harder until I defeat McQueen at next year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe!"

"Uh... Yes. It's good that you're confident."

Byerley parted her lips as though she wanted to correct her, but ultimately sighed and nodded.

I said you might have a slight chance of defeating McQueen. I didn't mean you could defeat her at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

After all...

McQueen herself would probably be unable to win next year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

With that thought, Byerley turned her head.

Her gaze seemed to penetrate the barriers of space and reach a different training ground.

"Oh?"

At that other training ground, the red-haired goddess appeared to sense her gaze. Darley revealed a sweet smile and waved in Byerley's direction.

Beside Darley stood a petite figure with a perfectly straight back, gulping down water.

The girl had crescent-shaped bangs.

Her face remained flushed from her run, yet it radiated boundless confidence.

Within Byerley's divine vision, however, an entirely different image appeared behind that adorable girl.

It was the phantom of a supreme conqueror, striding through flames fierce enough to burn the heavens while trampling the entire [World] beneath her feet.

That was the not-too-distant future.

Suave followed Byerley's gaze but saw nothing.

Assuming that the yellow goddess was merely admiring the distant scenery, she paid it no further thought.

McQueen's training ended shortly afterward.

She wiped away her sweat as she walked toward the group.

"Why are all of you here?"

"Suave missed you."

Kuroha chuckled and handed McQueen a bottle of water.

"...She missed me?"

McQueen narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Suave before accepting the bottle.

"More or less."

Suave scratched her head.

McQueen sighed and took a drink.

"You certainly have a troublesome way of showing it."

After everyone joked around for a while, Kuroha finally smiled and asked:

"How is your condition?"

The purple-haired girl fell silent for several seconds before answering softly.

"At the Arima Kinen... I'll give it everything I have!"

"Does Central even have an opponent capable of making you go all out?"

Suave tilted her head in confusion.

"In last month's Japan Cup, Central's participants couldn't even keep up with me, let alone you. I left them a full ten lengths behind."

"Even including you, Central probably doesn't have five Umamusume who have entered [Domain], right?"

Suave was already being generous with her assessment.

The [Domain] she referred to was merely its third level.

Yet even opponents of that level, who were so common on the international stage, numbered fewer than five at Central.

That was before accounting for the differences in their fundamental physical abilities.

It was obvious how poorly Suave regarded the overall strength of Central's Umamusume.

Hearing her rival's confusion, McQueen glanced at her and gently shook her head.

"This is different, Suave."

"What's different?"

Suave frowned slightly.

McQueen did not answer the question directly. Instead, she continued in a quiet voice.

"I understand what this race means to everyone."

"Ryan, Taisei, Bright, Wakaba, and Fujin are all preparing by pushing themselves to their limits."

McQueen lowered her eyelashes. Her voice paused briefly before she continued:

"If I merely go through the motions during the race, that would be the greatest possible disrespect toward them."

She could hold back and bring the race to an easy conclusion.

However, she should not do that.

A trace of conflict appeared on the girl's face.

Kuroha quietly listened to everything she said, then smiled.

He understood McQueen's thoughts.

He also understood her concerns.

Her strength had surpassed the other Central Umamusume by more than an entire level.

If she truly used everything she possessed, the final result might be unbearably cruel for the other competitors.

However, McQueen also understood the determination carried by her companions at Central.

Therefore, all she needed right now was...

Kuroha stepped forward and gently patted the girl's head.

"Tra... Trainer."

McQueen raised her head slightly and looked at Kuroha. Almost instinctively, she nuzzled against his hand.

Kuroha smiled.

"Since you've made your decision, show everyone the best race you can run, McQueen!"

Right now, McQueen only needed a single word of encouragement from the person she trusted most.

Nothing more.

"Mm!"

The Mejiro girl froze briefly before revealing a radiant smile.

...

At the same time, at Central Tracen Academy.

"Huff... Hah..."

Haku Taisei supported herself with her hands on her knees, gasping heavily for breath.

Her trainer stood beside the track with a stopwatch in hand. After remaining silent for a long time, he finally spoke.

"Taisei, you've already exceeded today's planned training volume."

"...I know."

The gray-haired girl straightened her body and wiped the sweat from her chin with the back of her hand. Her eyes remained resolute.

"But it still isn't enough!"

Taisei's trainer opened his mouth, but ultimately only sighed and chose not to dissuade her any further.

On another track in the distance, Mejiro Ryan was performing sprint after sprint.

Her movements were broad and powerful, filled with wild strength. Every time her legs pushed against the ground, they carried an almost savage ferocity.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Her footsteps struck the turf like war drums.

Beside the track, a rugged, muscular man watched with a worried yet helpless expression.

He turned toward the middle-aged man in a suit standing nearby.

"Sensei... Should I stop her?"

Even Akazono Dou, a trainer who worshiped muscle and strongly advocated extreme physical conditioning, felt that Ryan was currently pushing herself too far.

Hidehito Nase glanced at him, his expression remaining unchanged.

"Do you believe she should stop?"

"...Yes."

Akazono hesitated for a moment before gritting his teeth and nodding.

"An Umamusume's prime is actually very short," Hidehito said.

"A trainer's role is not simply to follow a routine and assign them training exercises."

Hidehito looked toward his student.

"While they still possess the opportunity to shine, allowing them to shine as brilliantly as possible is also part of our duty as trainers. Don't you agree?"

"..."

As a new trainer, Akazono still looked utterly lost, despite having studied beneath Hidehito for a long time.

He watched Ryan relentlessly squeezing out every last drop of her potential and pressed his lips together.

"Sensei, what should I do?"

"Believe in her and wait."

Hidehito's voice was quiet.

"This is their decision as well."

"Hahahaha! Again! Let's go again!"

On the track, Ryan continued shouting.

Sweat had already soaked through her clothes and was running into her eyes, yet the fighting spirit radiating from her only grew stronger.

At the opposite end of the training grounds, Mill Wakaba silently performed strength exercises.

Her expression was focused and indifferent, as though she had isolated herself from the entire world.

On the field, Bright Rock's arms and legs trembled, but she continued forcing herself to move forward.

Ines Fujin sat on a bench beside the track, watching everyone else pour their sweat into training.

"...Everyone is working so hard."

She spoke softly.

Then she stood and began loosening her wrists and ankles.

"Fujin?"

Her trainer, who had been resting nearby, froze when he saw her stand.

Their break between sets was not over yet.

"I can't afford to fall too far behind, Trainer!"

Fujin turned back and gave him a bright smile.

...

As the Umamusume of Central continued pushing themselves to improve, time rapidly passed.

The entire island nation of the Far East began simmering like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

Little by little, promotional posters for the Arima Kinen appeared throughout every city and urban district.

"December 23, Nakayama Racecourse: Arima Kinen!"

"The Greatest Year-End Showdown!"

"Mejiro McQueen, Aurora of the Heavens, Versus the Challenging Stars!"

The posters, decorated with golden lettering over crimson backgrounds, glittered beneath the winter sunlight. Passing pedestrians constantly stopped to take photographs.

On television, across the internet, and in conversations throughout the streets, everyone was discussing the same questions:

[Can Mejiro McQueen remain undefeated and bring her perfect year to a close?]

[Can the challengers she once left far behind create a miracle in this final battle of the year?]

Public opinion was naturally one-sided.

From Central to the rest of the world, everyone expected Mejiro McQueen to complete the supreme feat of remaining invincible for three consecutive years.

"This year's Arima Kinen will be a battle that defines an era!"

"The World's Strongest Versus the Stars of the Far East!"

"Can Mejiro McQueen's undefeated legend endure for a third year?"

Each news headline was more exaggerated than the last.

Amid this nationwide wave of excitement, the final race of the Twinkle Series finally arrived.

The G1 Arima Kinen!